Jags question hit on Darius

Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio sent video of the hit that injured safety Donovin Darius to the league, seeking to clarify whether the block was illegal.
Darius broke his right leg in the first quarter of Monday night's 26-10 victory against the New York Giants. The Jaguars believe tight end Visanthe Shiancoe blocked Darius low and from behind. Darius screamed toward New York's huddle as he was helped off the field, and several teammates called it a "dirty" play.
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"It was away from the ball," Del Rio said Wednesday. "I sent it into the league to ask for a clarification. I don't know that I would classify it as illegal or dirty. I think it's avoidable. I'd like to see the competition committee look at it just to take it out. The league has done a great job making this game a little bit safer, taking away some of the unnecessary exposure from guys. I don't know there's a rule against what I saw on tape, but I think we can avoid it."
Also Wednesday, Del Rio said quarterback Byron Leftwich won't play again during the regular season after having ankle surgery in Birmingham. Leftwich was ordered to stay off his ankle for the next couple weeks.
Cornerback Rashean Mathis, defensive tackle John Henderson and others called Shiancoe's block a cheap shot. Del Rio disagreed, saying, "I don't think he made an attempt to be dirty."
But he still wanted to league to review it.
"It falls in that category of plays that can be looked at and determined whether or not we want that in the game," Del Rio said. "I think it's avoidable. We don't teach it."
Darius had surgery Tuesday in Birmingham, Ala. He also had shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum, an injury Del Rio said Darius had been playing through. Darius was second on the team with 60 tackles.
The Jaguars (6-4) placed Darius on injured reserve Wednesday and signed receiver Charles Sharon, who might be needed to replace starter Ernest Wilford. The team also re-signed offensive tackle Wayne Hunter and defensive back David Richardson to the practice squad.
Wilford sprained his right ankle Monday night and was still wearing a walking boot Wednesday. He didn't practice, but hoped to play Sunday at Buffalo.
"I'm going to play," Wilford said. "There's no doubt about it. Unless the doctors cut my foot off I'm going to play."
As for Leftwich, Del Rio said: "He's a candidate for IR, but at this point we have not yet made that decision. It's unlikely we'll get him back this year for the regular season. It's just a decision we'll have to make as a football team whether we take that spot or wait until the postseason. We haven't made that decision yet."
Del Rio declined to talk about Leftwich's future in Jacksonville, which has become a topic of conversation since David Garrard took over the starting job. Garrard has led the Jaguars to three wins in four games, improving to 7-2 as a starter the last two seasons.
"David is making the most of his opportunities as our quarterback right now," Del Rio said. "He's going to be our quarterback for the remainder of this season. I think the most important thing for him and for us is that we focus on winning games. I think the discussions and the decisions that are coming, they're certainly there, they're in the future. But we don't need to be concerned with them now and there is no sense in us stopping right now as a football team and focusing on that."